Wow that bank looks old.

And you are right, all that slate in the square seems to give it a certain bleakness.

... and finally.
Old but modern - the now defunct 3 screen Odeon cinema.
Which has been treated with great respect as you can see :eyebrow:

And The Odd Fellows Arms - modern but old.
They took a whole corner out to put a new traffic system in. Gone was The Windmill (the other gay pub, where Sir John Gielgud used to drink) and the Nags Head that still had an outside toilet. But I have a feeling the Odd Fellows was listed. Lord knows it couldn't have survived otherwise!

Another coaching inn, as was The Buckingham Arms - there were still stables at the back of it (disused) even in my memory. It was a cute little place - stiflingly hot in winter and packed with old giffers. Well, about 5 people was enough to pack it, as it was still divided into two bars - the Saloon and the Snug.

Excellent thread, SG. Lunch looks tasty.

yes...very awesome!

Post some more SG!

I had been saving this thread for a lazy morning with a hot cup of coffee. Looks just wonderful. How much ambiance and character there is to see & experience there. When I think of the cities I visit here, they just don't seem to have that same type of feel. I know, I know - its the age and all. They are just wonderful, SG. I wanna go to Europe badly, its in my 5 year plan. Has been for about 10 years :shrug:

:D

I hope this might be interesting to you just for its foreign-ness.
For me its exciting just because it's SNOW!!! We just so rarely get it here. This mostly follows my walk into town with a detour round the older area.

- Front garden
- Path we live on

The main road.
- looking down the hill
- looking up

- Walking past the prison - this is a main road
- Cambridge Street, home of takeaways and restaurants. The barn-like building in the distance, mid right - in the picture it's underneath the bus stop - is the closed Odeon.

- Top of Cambridge Street - cafes and bakers and small clothes shops now. Dinky little street that is usually hard to cross because the cars are constant, but not slow enough for you to weave between

- Top of Market Square. Bollards have been deactivated due to the weather.

- Market Square all snowy. County Offices loom in the background
- Rickfords Hill - I was unfair to it before. As long as you position yourself not to see the garish red/brown bricked '80s buildings, it is a lovely place.

- Top of Rickfords Hill, looking towards Temple Square
- Castle Street from Temple Square

360 degree view of Temple Square.
I was trying to capture the snow (big fat flakes at that point) but it was obviously shy.

Absolutely beautiful. And so quaint.